Broken Cross, Northwich and Marston

Quite a leisurely start to the day so that we could go to Middlewich Parish Church. Having researched it via their web site we found that there was quite a choice: 8, 9.15 and 11! The latter was billed as Family Worship and, knowing that this was likely to be a fairly evangelical church, we opted for that as something rather different from our normal' experiences.

Close to the church we spotted this shop - the decoration over the top is more interesting than its current use! Would it perhaps have been a butcher's shop or even a small cattle market.

Middlewich Parish Church - St Michael and All Angels

The service itself was perhaps what we expected, led by a very competent modern music band. Now by 'modern', we mean that it played in a style much more of our time than some of the throw backs to 1960's which pass for modern elsewhere! Three curates took some part in leading the worship as well as the Director of Music and Family Work.

After the service we picked up some bread for lunch at the nearby Tesco before returning to the boat - all of five minutes away! Before setting off we had lunch. There seemed to be a steady stream of boats passing by and we wondered if there might be a queue at the next lock.

Big Lock

As it turned out, only the boat which went down as we were getting ready to cast off was there, already filling the lock. The top gates are rather leaky so it was slow to fill and then to empty. Called The Big Lock it is the only full broad lock on the northern part of the Trent and Mersey (the others are at the other end, below Shardlow). As a result we were able to share with the boat in front.

We have very few locks ahead of us for several days and the next section is very scenic. It meanders, following the contours above the River Gade, clinging to the hillside quite a height above the flood plain below. With the trees now very much in leaf and, in many cases, blossom, it is perhaps the best time of the year to come this way.

Croxton Aqueduct

Just after leaving the edge of town we crossed over Croxton Aqueduct, now only narrow boat sized but originally we understand able to carry wide beam boast over the river below. Remains of the older abutments can just be seen.

Croxton Flash

The salt workings of this area have left many marks on the countryside and here we passed through several flashes where the former bank of the canal has been worn away leaving an apparent connection. Woe betide anyone who ignores the warnings and tries to enter! (There were reports of a hire boat doing just these a few weeks ago and, as a result, they had to spend the night marooned until rescued the next morning)

A section of the bank holding up the canal from falling into the river has been repaired recently. as far as we know, this was done before a collapse, unlike the Dutton breach just a little further north, which we expect to see tomorrow.

In a number of places the navigation is narrowed very considerably by off-side reed growth - treatment of it is inevitably controversial with boaters wanting to reclaim their water and environmentalists promoting the alternative values of reeds.

At least they provided a nesting space for one pair of swans. the cygnets looked quite new, not yet fledged and the parents were keeping a careful watch over them.

Continuing with our collection of unusual boats and their features, we are not sure what water creatures have been scared off by this monster!



Billinge Green Flash

New Canal-side Housing at Broken Cross

The Old Broken Cross

Broken Cross, along the canal, seems to be a pleasant little dormitory development. We had originally planned to stop here for the night but we had made better progress and so pressed on a little further. At least it is not 'rugged'!

Then, suddenly as we pass under a bridge, the scenery changes and one of the large chemical works in this region hails into view. It may change the landscape but with all the modern regulations it no longer poses a pollution threat to the waterway.

The canal passes right through the middle of the works.

A Scenic View

Lion Salt Works

The canal, however, skirts around the town of Northwich and, after passing the former Lion Salt Works (see http://takefiveboat.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/church-minshull.html for when we passed here last), currently under restoration as a museum about the salt heritage, we came out again into the countryside where we pulled into the side to moor for the night. It was still quite early but Anderton is not far away and moorings may be a bit harder to find.

8.1 miles - 1 lock